A proposed bout, that was beginning to intrigue my fancy, between lightweight standouts Antonio McKee and Shinya Aoki has since been scrapped from the upcoming DREAM event. The promotion was set to make it's anticipated return for "DREAM 17: Fight for Japan", which is set to kickoff on May 29th at the Saitama Super Arena Hall in Saitama, Japan. The event is set in conjunction with several charities in an effort to help expedite the relief efforts to aid the since fallen country. McKee, a recent UFC cast out, recently spoke about the bout and officials made it official earlier this week, however now Antonio will be forced to withdraw from the event thanks to circumstantial issues that will not allow him to compete in Japan. ...

Former Shooto 143-pound champion will try to make good on his second trip to DREAM when he takes on Koichiro Matsumoto in a featherweight match-up. The bout will be featured at the upcoming DREAM 17 event, which will be held in conjunction with several notable charities to help with the relief efforts for Japan, which has since fallen on harder times due to the natural disasters that have ravaged the land and caused billions of dollars worth in damage. The event takes place at the Saitama Super Arena Hall in Saitama Japan on May 29th, and will serve as a kickoff for the upcoming bantamweight grand prix. ...

Since his release from the ufc, Antonio McKee's next move has been a big question mark. The former MFC lightweight champion, Antonio was originally expected to make his return to the Maximum Fighting Championships earlier this year in a title bout against the resurgent Drew Fickett, however a subsequent knee injury left him unable to accept the bout. Inevitably, MFC stripped McKee of his title and they will now pit Fickett against fellow UFC veteran Hermes Franca for the now vacant 155-pound title. While the promotion suggests that the vacation of Antonio's title was "mutual", McKee suggests otherwise, however in the meantime the 40-year-old will return to action come this May to take on "The Baka Survivor", Shinya Aoki. ...

As DREAM 17 begins to loom closer and closer, the promotion is now adding several new bouts to the upcoming event, which will coincide with several charities in order to help with the relief efforts for Japan, following the many disasters that have since ravaged the land, totally damages in the billions for the land of the rising sun. What better way to help then to add one of Japan's most well-known commodities in grappling ace Shinya Aoki to the card, as he will now be taking on UFC veteran Willamy Freire in the upcoming card. DREAM 17, the promotion's first foray back into the mixed martial arts world following it's last event in December of last year: "Dynamite!! 2010", will take place on May 29 at the Saitama Super Arena Hall in Saitama, Japan. ...

An exciting featherweight affair has been added to the upcoming DREAM event this May. Former DREAM lightweight champion Joachim Hansen, who has recently pared down to the featherweight class in some of his recent performances, will be returning to action against perennial contender Mitsuhiro Ishida. The bout takes place at DREAM 17, which takes place on May 29th at the usual venue of the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama Japan. This event will mark the promotion's first return to action since it's year-end extravaganza in "Dynamite!! 2010", which took place on December 31st of last year. The event will also coincide with several charity benefits in an effort to aide in the relief efforts in Japan, following the recent tragedies that have ravaged the nation. ...

Japan is going through some truly trying times right now. The country will see financial ruin due to the damage that has ravaged the land, due to the tsunamis and earthquakes that have mounted more than 300 billion dollars in said damages, with the numbers increasing everyday. However, long before the country had seen it's land turned upside down, Fighting and Entertainment Group, the parent company of such organization's as DREAM and K-1, have been suffering steadily for a long time and have still failed to pay some of their more respected fighters. "JZ" Cavalcante, a former lightweight contender for the organization, has still not seen a dime from a bout that took place in June of last year, and is now considering legal action against the promotion. ...

While Japan has seen better days, with the country having recently been ravaged by tsunamis and earthquakes galore, one thing remains strong, and that is the mixed martial arts community. We've seen that first with the recent Strikeforce event, where three of Japan's best participated on the card, with DREAM's featherweight champion Hiroyuki Takaya, lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, and perennial contender Tatsuya Kawajiri all in action. Though the participants left the the event with mixed results, with Shinya Aoki the only one emerging victorious with a first-round submission win over lightweight prospect Lyle Beerbohm, DREAM hopes to give an extra push towards Japan's relief efforts by holding their May event side by side with various charities. And said event will also feature the organization's inaugural bantamweight grand-prix, which will feature many notable fighters. ...

While DREAM's fate seems all but sealed, there is still a place for the organization's fighters in the mixed martial arts world. Current DREAM featherweight champion Hiroyuki Takaya, who recently claimed the bout in his last outing when he avenged a previous loss in a rematch with Bibiano Fernandes, will be returning to the cage come this April when he debuts in the strikeforce organization. And while his country has been ravaged by tsunamis and earthquakes which has taken the lives of ten's of thousands of people, Takaya, along with Tatsuya Kawajiri of DREAM, will be representing their organization and more importantly their country come fight time. ...

While many fans have likely forgotten the financial woes that FEG, the parent company of both K-1 and DREAM, is currently suffering, due to the recent tragedies in Japan, President Sadaharu Tanikawa expresses some sentiments regarding both matters. It wasn't too long ago that both the K-1 and PRIDE brands were arguably the two strongest entities in the combat sports world, with nearly one-hundred thousand people in attendance at one point to witness a live PRIDE new years end extravaganza. Now, FEG has struggled to secure footing in the combat world since the company sold PRIDE some years ago to the UFC, and now that Japan is in ruins since tsunamis and earthquakes have ravaged the lands, Tanikawa thought it would be fitting for him to address the people who are struggling during this time. ...

An anticipated rematch in the lightweight division, could finally be coming to ahead. Though both men have spent a majority of their careers on opposite sides of the globe, both are touted as some of the best lightweight fighters in their division. Current Strikeforce titleholder Gilbert Melendez has been rumored for sometime to be taking on former rival Tatsuay Kawajiri in the foreseeable future, though nothing has been certain as of yet. However recently, the bout's likelihood has become more and more relevant, as their appears to be a date and location anticipated for said lightweight match-up. ...

Looks like the San Jose based promotion will be gearing up for a rematch in pitting current Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez for his second title defense as he may be taking on former rival Tatsuya Kawajiri for the 155-pound title. The two standouts originally met a little over four years ago under the now defunct PRIDE banner, where Melendez scored a pretty close decision victory over the Japanese superstar. Since their encounter, both men have found tons of success in their division, with Kawajiri clearing house in Japan while Melendez took care of all comers that Strikeforce had to offer him here in the States. ...

Shinya Aoki is having a hard time finding some consistency in his life as of late. The DREAM lightweight champion ventured to unfamiliar territory last year when he came state side to challenge current Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez for his lightweight strap, however the submission specialist was unsuccessful in doing so and in the end lost a shut-out decision. He returned overseas with a strong showing against perennial contender and rival Tatsuya Kawajiri, submitting his fellow Japanese countryman with an achilles lock inside of the first-round. He would go on to rattle off another two wins to secure a three-fight win streak, however was embarrassed when DREAM decided to pit their best grapplers against one of K-1's best strikers in Yuichiro "Jienotsu" Nagashima at the promotion's annual year-end extravaganza, where the world ranked lightweight was knocked out in the second round of the exhibition bout. Well it looks like Aoki has now had about enough of DREAM and Japan altogether. Hello, Strikeforce. ...

Now more and more it looks as if Fighting and Entertainment Group, the Japanese-based parent company of both famed kickboxing organization K-1 and MMA promotion DREAM, is headed towards the point of no return. Rumors of financial instability abound, and it seems as if nothing short of a drastic overhaul undertaken by a fresh crop of new investors with deep pockets could save FEG. Bob Sapp, who was once one of Japanese MMA’s biggest idols, recently chimed in with his opinion on the matter. ...

The past couple of years have been a long and bizarre experience for Japanese MMA star Shinya Aoki. Aoki stands out as one of the few MMA stars that have been to both sides of the fan spectrum: he spent much of his career as a baby-faced Japanese idol, beloved for his warrior spirit, incredible heart, and amazing submission skills. One broken appendage and one extremely spiteful post-fight celebration later, Aoki became one of the biggest bad-boys in Japanese MMA. After being subjected to plenty of scorn and intense mockery following his embarrassing defeat at the K-1/DREAM super-show “DYNAMITE!! 2010”, a new report states that Aoki may be considering retirement. Here are all the details. ...

It's a scary thing when you hear reports constantly about fighter's not being paid timely, if at all. Or when promoter's speak so publicly and openly about their struggling financial situation. And like the Pride Fighting Championships before it, it looks like DREAM and K-1 will now become a victim due to their hierarchy's lack of success. So now, both the most visible kickboxing promotion in all of the world, and Japan's leading mixed martial arts organization will now cease to exist, and all of this is according to their leading man, President Sadaharu Tanikawa. ...

Taken purely as a great night of fights, the New Year’s Eve DREAM/K-1 super-show “DYNAMITE!! 2010” was a big success. Fans were treated to several notable bouts, including a dramatic win by Alistair Overeem over Todd Duffee and the crushing KO of Shinya Aoki in his MMA/K-1 mixed rules fight. But the state of MMA and combat sports in general in Japan has been on a steady decline ever since the fall of the legendary PRIDE FC promotion, and the newly-released TV ratings for “DYNAMITE” paint a rather somber picture. ...

It’s been an interesting ride for former UFC star Todd Duffee, and many questions still surround the man. Was he all hype and no substance? Is he his own worst enemy? Was the UFC justified in releasing him? And perhaps the most important question in the here and now: where does Todd Duffee go from here, following a brutal KO loss to Alistair Overeem in under twenty seconds? Here’s the latest on Todd Duffee, straight from the man himself. ...

Japanese fans were treated to a bit of a second Christmas today, as the traditional MMA/K-1 New Year’ Eve super-show “DYNAMITE!!” continued to prove why it’s seen as the be-all and end-all in Japanese MMA year after year. No less than Alistair Overeem, Shinya Aoki, Gegard Mousasi, and Kazushi Sakuraba all competed at the event, with some coming out of the event much better than others. And to continue a tradition of my own, here’s the latest edition of “What’s Next”, featuring DREAM/K-1’s “DYNAMITE!! 2010”. ...

Who wants to wait a day for their MMA action? While most American fans are eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s UFC 125: “Resolution”, Japanese MMA fans were treated to a stacked card featuring MMA, K-1 kickboxing, and even a few “mixed rules” fights. “DYNAMITE!! 2010” has now come and gone, and several important fighters made several important statements at the massive year-end 2010 event. Highlights included Alistair Overeem dominating in classic Overeem fashion and Shinya Aoki being KO’d. So let's get right to it: here are the full results to DREAM/K-1’s “DYNAMITE!! 2010. ...

Aoki is believed to be a cerebral fighter. His brilliant submission skills is evidence enough of his effectiveness as a mixed martial artist in today's day and age. For a fighter that is so one dimensional, Aoki still finds a way to dominate overseas and is universally considered one of the best lightweight fighters in the world for his accolades. Shinya is currently the reigning DREAM lightweight champion, and a 7-year veteran of the sport. So why in the hell did he accept a special rules bout with a K-1 striking star, with the first round being contest under kickboxing rules? ...

Alistair Overeem will get his wish..well, kind of. A big sticking point for the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Champion was to fight for the vacant DREAM heavyweight title, should he fight at the promotion's year-end show. Overeem will in fact vie for the organization's heavyweight strap, albeit in interim form when he takes on former UFC star and rising prospect Todd Duffee tonight at the Super Saitama Arena in Saitama, Japan. Both "The Demolition Man" and Duffee made weight for their heavyweight contest, as well as all other competitors for tonight's epic card. ...

It’s been rumored to be going down for some time now, and it’s just now been confirmed as official. Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix Champion Alistair Overeem will be competed at the upcoming New Year’s Eve “DYNAMITE!! 2010” super-show, a co-promotional effort between Japanese MMA promotion DREAM and famed kickboxing promotion K-1, both of which are owned by parent company Fighting and Entertainment Group. And his opponent? No less than the man that holds the record for the fastest KO in UFC history. Here are all the details. ...

The fifteen-fight DREAM/K-1 “DYNAMITE!! 2010” super-card will combine MMA, K-1 kickboxing, and several unique “hybrid” bouts in a New Year's Eve extravaganza that shouldn't be missed. The event will feature some big names both in Japan and around the world, and as always, I just can’t help but pull out the crystal ball and unleash my inner Nostradamus. So let’s get to it with a new edition of “Picks and Predictions” featuring “DYNAMITE!! 2010”. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another edition of “Crash Course”, the series of articles designed to give fans a quick rundown of all the latest upcoming MMA cards. We’re only five days away from the traditional year-end Japanese MMA super-show, “DYNAMITE”, and it’s shaping up to be an amazing card. Many prominent MMA fighters are expected to compete in a card featuring at least fifteen MMA, K-1, and even MMA/K-1 “hybrid” fights. So let’s get right to it and dive into the latest edition of “Crash Course”. ...

Despite rumors of financial instability and an inability to pay contracted fighters, Fighting and Entertainment Group continues to roll towards its “DYNAMITE” event with considerable effort and quite a lot of fanfare. The parent company of both MMA company DREAM and famed kickboxing organizations K-1, FEG is looking to put on a banner event on New Year’s Eve in order to enter 2011 on a promising, uplifting note. But how excited should non-Japanese MMA fans be for this multiple-hour extravaganza? Is the show worth checking out? Not only do I think it is, here’s a Top 5 of my big reasons to give “DYNAMITE” a watch. ...

Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson has seen the ups and downs of his career. Now, on the cusp of another crack at the title he lost against rival Gilbert Melendez since going two-straight inside the Strikeforce cage, Thomson will risk it all on a whim when he faces perennial top-10 fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri. Though the fight is a big one in of itself, Kawajiri was not originally in the cards for Thomson, as Josh's original opponent Shinya Aoki was pulled from the match for a more popular fight with K-1 kickboxer, Yuichiro "Jienotsu" Nagashima in a special-rules match up at this year's Dynamite!! show. ...

A previously rumored match up pitting UFC veteran Todd Duffee against Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem is now said to be finalized for the year-end extravaganza for DREAM's: Dynamite!! 2010 show. The two parties have been in negotiation's recently sinced a proposed fight pitting Overeem and former WWE star turned mixed martial artist: Bobby Lashley, had failed to materialize due to monetary expectations, or in his case a lack thereof. ...

If there’s one thing DREAM and K-1’s mixed-card New Year’s Eve “DYNAMITE” extravaganza can’t be accused of, it’s an inability to drum up hype. It seems that not a day goes by without some new bit of news surrounding the card or some hot piece of gossip that gets the rumor mill churning. A few days ago I gave my opinion on one such rumor, which hinted that a fight between Bobby Lashley and Alistair Overeem may be going down. It now appears that the rumor was just that, but fear not “Ubereem” fans: another rumor has popped up to take its place, and this one pits Overeem against the man who officially holds the record for the fastest-ever KO in UFC history. Here are all the details. ...

As the year end extravaganza in Japan looms near, additional bouts have been made official for the December 31st show under the DREAM banner. Speaking of banner, K-1 legend Jerome Le Banner is said to participate opposite of Judo Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii under mixed martial arts rules at the Saitma Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. While Banner's accolades as an 3-1-1 MMA fighter seem minuscule to the average mixed martial artist, his extensive kickboxing background lends more to his résumé. ...

If you believe the rumors, the big year-end Japanese MMA/K-1 mash-up show “DYNAMITE” just might have gotten a whole lot bigger. The card already features big names like Kazushi Sakuraba, Shinya Aoki, Gegard Mousasi, and more. But according to a recent report, the Japanese-based DREAM MMA promotion recently just signed a colossal showdown in every sense of the word. DREAM looks to be putting together a fight between two big stars and two hulking athletes. While nothing is officially confirmed as of yet, it’s been revealed that strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem vs. Bobby Lashley for some sort of DREAM Heavyweight Championship could be going down. Here are all the details. ...